Academic Traditions

When people think of "tradition" a lot comes to mind. But, when people think of "academic traditions" there's one word that immediately pops into one's mind - Coimbra. The city of students, as it is many times called, is a world within a world. Ruled by a very different set of rules, every year Coimbra welcomes freshmen with an inherited sense of customs and traditions.

The first thing every freshman learns is that "dura praxis, sed praxis", which is a Latin expression for "the praxis is hard but it is the praxis". But even though this may sound a bit harsh for common people, for a student of Coimbra University, the praxis is a means of integration, both with colleagues and with the city itself.

In their first year, students are instructed into the complicated set of laws that dictate the proper behaviour, rights and duties of every student there. Alongside with this, students learn the true meaning of tradition as they witness by themselves the overwhelming impact of some of Coimbra's most memorable occasions like the "freshman's serenade" and the "burning of the ensigns". This builds inside the students a feeling of pride towards the University and a sense of respect towards all of those who studied there before them.

It is such a marking experience that, when the time comes to leave Coimbra and the University, practically no student can prevent the tears from falling. It's more than a departure from a place of study, it's the end of the best times of their lives. "Coimbra tem mais encanto, na hora da despedida." (Coimbra is more enchanting at the time of farewell.)

By: Marta and Rogério